Long Hard Road Out of Hell
by ManiacDoll
Summary: Merlin has been raised by Morgause after his parent's death at the hands of Uther Pendragon. Revenge is his only motivation when he arrives at Camelot, but once he succeds at it, it may be too late for him to realize that, maybe, this is not what he wanted...Based on a KMM prompt. Contains Dark!Merlin, minor character death, Mpreg and Slash. You know the drill, rnr!
1. Chapter 1

The first thing Merlin remembers is fire. There is always fire. The burning ashes float in the air of the falling afternoon as some deadly mocking version of the snow he used to love.

He is standing in front of the hut. The fire consumes it all; the gray sky is unmoving to his plea to make it all stop, the rain will not come, and he is alone, while the fire rages. It is his life what is being burned, he thinks later, many years later, when he looks back on that fateful day. His father, Balinor, his mother, Hunith, their lives, their smiles, their hopes, their love for their son. Burned.

He doesn't understand why this is happening; why the evil men did what they did. Somewhere deep inside his heart, the little child knows that it has to do whith his father's magic, but he knows no more.

What he does know is that they knocked the door. His mother begged Balinor not to open, but there was no other option. There was a flush of red, many men's faces that demanded Balinor to give himself up in the name of the king. What he does know is that his mother has just enough time to get Merlin out the back door, and shush him, and he knows what she is trying to tell him with her huge, scared and lovely eyes. To run. To run as fast as he can. But he doesn't want to run. He wants to stay and fight. His magic, though, will not hear him; his magic is like a living being within him that wants to protect him, and so he runs. This is something he knows. And what he knows best, is that he will never forget that face. The face of their lider. The King Uther himslef, who has come to betray in person the one man who used to be his most trusted advisor and friend. An instant hatred is born towards the man.

His house is on fire, and his mum and dad are dead. This, Merlin feels in his heart, but still, he stands watching the pyre that was the place where he used to be happy, unable to move. The men are long gone, and Merlin doesn't know what to do now, where to go. He has no one else. He is a strong little child, but he feels the world falling on his shoulders. He prays for a miracle that will not come, and his pale face, blackened by the ashes, is the image of sorrow.

He sees her then; a white angel of golden curls, her white dress untouched by the ashes and the mud. Her name is Morgause, the angel says, and she comes to save Merlin. He barely understands; there is a painful ringing in his ears, and he is choking with his sadness, but when she extends her hand to him, he takes it.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Sorry for the shortness of the chapters, I suck at this, really...this is my first story, hopefully I will be able to upload fast unless my job kills me, which is a real possibility. I trully appreciate your reviews, thanks for taking the time to read this!

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Years pass by. Merlin is fourteen when he learns of his role in the upcoming destruction of Camelot.

Merlin is not happy, but he is not unhapy either. Morgause has been like a mother to him all these years; she has loved him and taken care of him, and she always tells him that he is like the brother she never had. She hates Uther Pendragon too; she says he took something away from her, something precious, that she will get back no matter what. She tells him that they are kindred, that there are other like them out there; but that no one is or will ever be quite like Merlin. Merlin is unique; and it is really a miracle that she sensed his distress and happened to come by him. Merlin wholeheartedly agrees. He doesn't know what would have become of him, had he been left to his own devices.

They live quietly in an isle that vibrates with ancient magic; Merlin has no nightmares when he is here. The fire cannot touch him; the dead cannot reach him. He is content.

Morgause teaches him the ways of the old religion; she tells him that soon he will become strong enough to start his own path in life. That path involves a plan. That plan, she tells him, is his rightful revenge; he will have his revenge against the killer of his parents. But it is, oh, so much more than a simple revenge plan.

"We are persecuted. Our kind is being murdered, Merlin" She explains one night, while they sit under the stars warming by the fire that he so hates. "You can feel it in your blood, as I do. The screams of all our brothers and sisters being burned. They have committed no crime, but what does that matter to a man like Uther Pendragon? He is a madman; but his madness is invisible to the eyes of others. We will have our revenge on him, and by our hand, by your hand Merlin -and she grabs his hand in hers as if her life depended on it, her stare fierce and intense - we will have our freedom. The tyrant must die. The magic will be returned to the land. And only you can do it."

"But how?" he asks, because he is nothing but a child, and he fears failure more than anything. He needs her guidance, or he won't be able to make it. He is powerful, and he knows it, much more powerful than Morgause, and he knows the ways of the dark arts; but it is a dangerous weapon, and he does not want to become consumed by it before he can destroy Uther Pendragon and everything he represents.

"In time, Merlin, you will know everything there is to know, and I will be there to help you. But now, you must sleep. Tomorrow, I will teach you how to raise the dead. That should be fun, don't you agree?"

He agrees, and she kisses his forehead with a sweet, deadly look of pride. He sleeps, and does not dream of the fire.


End file.
